Blunt (cigar)
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Overview
A blunt is a cigar or (L) which is wider than a cigarillo and not quite as wide as a traditional cigar. These cigars typically consist of two main parts; the inner leaf, which is similar to a cigarette rolling paper, except it is made of tobacco, and a thicker outer leaf which is rolled around the inner leaf in a spiral. In many commercially available blunts, the "leaves" are not actual tobacco leaves but rather paper made from tobacco pulp. The term blunt generally does not refer to more expensive, hand-rolled cigars.
Blunts get their name from their 'broad or rounded tip', and were named as such in the 1800s to differentiate them from other cigars with a tapered, pointed tip. [1] Later, as machines gradually replaced humans in the rolling process, blunts began to be characterized by a tapered, yet still open, smoking end, pre-clipped during manufacturing. The word blunt is also sometimes used as street slang in certain areas for cigar or cigarillo which has had its tobacco filling removed by the consumer in order to replace it with marijuana, Damiana or other smoking Herbs.
Blunt producing countries
There are three main countries of blunt cigar & wrapper production;
- Dominican Republic: Dominican cigars are known to have an extra sweetness to them and are superiorly mild. The top rated brands (top 10) by Cigar Aficionado are all from the Dominican Republic. In Blunts; Garcia y Vega, Phillies, Blunt Wrap, Juicy, Kingpin, Swisher Sweet and Dutch Master all come from the Dominican Republic.
- Honduras: Honduran Cigars lack the sweetness of Dominican cigars. The dryer climate and less fertile soil lead to a smaller less rich leaf. Da Bomb & Zen wraps are made in Honduras.
- Mexico: Mexican Cigars are known to be dry and extremely strong tasting. There has never been a Mexican cigar in the top 10, but there was once one in the 50 rated cigars at Cigar Aficionado
. The dryer, harsher climate of Mexico leads to a much dryer, harsher tasting leaf. Mexican labour is less expensive than the Dominican Republic or Honduras, plus shipping to the USA is shorter & less expensive, so Mexican blunts are much less expensive to produce & usually sell for less. Mexican brands include Royal & True Blunts.
Blunt wraps
Another way to enjoy a blunt involves using blunt wraps to make your own cigar. These are essentially pre-made rolling papers made from processed, usually flavored, tobacco. All that is needed is to spread tobacco or herbs evenly throughout the blunt paper, roll it up and seal it. Most are sealed individually to keep them fresh, moist and flexible, as dry cigar leaves are prone to cracking and breaking. Some brands also include a plastic straw, around which the blunt paper is rolled during manufacturing, and a transparent, plastic sheet wrapped around the blunt paper to give an extra layer of protection. This tube can be used to pack the tobacco down in the burning end once it has been rolled up. Also available are all natural tobacco leaves cut size and put in to a resealable package. They are a little easier to roll but burn quicker than other types of blunts. The newest blunt wrappers come in a resealable plastic tube. This allows the smoker to place the rolled blunt back into the tube and close/seal it for later use. Flavors of these blunt wraps are as varied as pina colada, watermelon, blueberry,and cotton candy.
Blunt wraps are an interesting way to avoid modern high cigar taxes. Much like people roll their own cigarettes to avoid paying cigarette taxes, people have learned to roll their own cigars to avoid paying cigar taxes. This has the potential to save the smoker 75% per cigar depending on applicable taxes. Some may argue that by rolling their own cigar they have the opportunity to customize the size, shape, flavor and style of their cigar. Thus the 'perfect' cigar would be one that the smoker makes tailor-made for their own preference.
There are two ways to seal a blunt wrap. One is flavored blunt glue, which is available at some cigar shops as part of the roll-your-own-cigar market. Another is to lick the wrapper edge, using saliva to bond the blunt wrap together for rolling purposes. This provides an excellent seal combined with the liquid sticky substance the blunt wrap is coated in.
Using blunt cones
Another technique is to purchase a "blunt cone". These are cone shaped empty cigarette shells made from flavored tobacco. The smoker then simply stuffs the cone full of tobacco/herbs and smokes it. As opposed to the above blunt wrappers, a blunt cone is pre-rolled and simply needs to be stuffed. The theory behind a cone-shaped cigar or cigarette is that it has a more even flavor. This is because as you burn tobacco it passes through the unburnt tobacco left in your cigarette. Thus it leaves tar and nicotine on the unburned tobacco and raises its strength and flavor. So, by using a conical cigarette, you are burning less and less tobacco with each puff - helping to compensate for the stronger and stronger tobacco Ref. That is why so many Europeans use cones and sales of cones in the USA increase every year. Ref